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White supremacist arrested in weapons bust in South Daytona

An FBI agent looks at some of the guns and ammunition seized Friday morning, March 22, 2013, in South Daytona by the FBI Task Force Safe Streets with Volusia County Sheriff office and South Daytona Police Department.

Published: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 9:44 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 11:27 p.m.

SOUTH DAYTONA -- When a cadre of FBI agents converged on self-described white supremacist Kevin Lynch's tiny picturesque house Friday, the suspect answered the front door with a beer in one hand and a pistol in the other, investigators said.

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It was the gun that bothered agents with the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force. The 49-year-old Lynch, a convicted felon, was not supposed to have any weapons.

Friday morning just before sunup though, investigators surprised Lynch. When they arrived at his cabin-like residence — complete with the American and Confederate flags on a flagpole — the suspect was decked out in blue striped pajama pants and a T-shirt with the words “White Pride Ride Just Say No to BCR” emblazoned on the front.

Besides several racist signs and a weathered Ku Klux Klan brochure, FBI agents found 10 weapons inside the house in the 1800 block of James Street, police said. The firearms seized include a sawed-off shotgun, an assault weapon and a few guns that had their serial numbers rubbed off, said Sgt. Dan Dietrich, a South Daytona police officer and member of the FBI Task Force.

Agents also found “boxes and boxes and boxes” of ammunition, Dietrich said, as well as pills and some marijuana.

“Our search warrant was for weapons,” Dietrich said at South Daytona police headquarters.

Lynch, who lives alone with two snakes and a small dog, was charged with possession of weapons by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of firearms without serial numbers. He was also charged with possession of marijuana and prescription pills that did not belong to him, Dietrich said.

The exterior of his residence is almost charming, the house painted a dark brown and set back on a large lot with several tall trees, a small doghouse, and garden decor.

But get up close and the letters “KKK” have been carved into the trunk of one of the trees. In addition, a racial epithet also has been carved into a corner of the wooden house's exterior.

Friday morning before the suspect was about to be taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, he told several members of the media: “I hate a lot of people.”

Wright and Dietrich recalled several instances when they tangled with Lynch.

“He shot at us once,” Dietrich said.

Wright also remembered the night Lynch shot himself in the mouth with a rifle and Wright labored to save his life by doing chest compressions.

“He's been quiet for a few years now,” Wright said Friday.

That wasn't always the case. Lynch has a slew of arrests on his record, including a 2002 felony conviction for resisting arrest with violence, court records show.

Initially Lynch had been charged with aggravated battery pertaining to a hate crime and battery on a law enforcement officer, as well as the resisting with violence violation. He agreed to plead no contest to resisting and the other charges were dropped, records show.

Dietrich said the task force had been looking at Lynch for the last six to eight months because of his membership in a white supremacist group. He declined to name the group, but said other individuals told investigators about Lynch's weapons stash.

“He (Lynch) has lived in South Daytona for 40 years but we learned 12 years ago of him being a white supremacist,” Dietrich said. "He belongs to the Klan, but he said the last time he went to a Klan meeting was 10 years ago.”

Lynch has a lengthy criminal history that includes arrests on charges of sexual battery, domestic battery, possession of a controlled substance, disorderly intoxication, driving with a revoked license, carrying a concealed weapon and being a public nuisance.

The charges leveled against Lynch on Friday are state charges, Dietrich said, but investigators will be asking for federal charges, but would not say what the charges would be.

Port Orange and federal officials are looking into the Feb. 23 shooting of a Port Orange Sikh as a hate crime. Investigators would not confirm whether Lynch would be questioned in the shooting of Kanwaljit Singh.

<p>SOUTH DAYTONA -- When a cadre of FBI agents converged on self-described white supremacist Kevin Lynch's tiny picturesque house Friday, the suspect answered the front door with a beer in one hand and a pistol in the other, investigators said. </p><p> It was the gun that bothered agents with the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force. The 49-year-old Lynch, a convicted felon, was not supposed to have any weapons. </p><p> Friday morning just before sunup though, investigators surprised Lynch. When they arrived at his cabin-like residence — complete with the American and Confederate flags on a flagpole — the suspect was decked out in blue striped pajama pants and a T-shirt with the words “White Pride Ride Just Say No to BCR” emblazoned on the front. </p><p> Besides several racist signs and a weathered Ku Klux Klan brochure, FBI agents found 10 weapons inside the house in the 1800 block of James Street, police said. The firearms seized include a sawed-off shotgun, an assault weapon and a few guns that had their serial numbers rubbed off, said Sgt. Dan Dietrich, a South Daytona police officer and member of the FBI Task Force. </p><p> Agents also found “boxes and boxes and boxes” of ammunition, Dietrich said, as well as pills and some marijuana. </p><p> “Our search warrant was for weapons,” Dietrich said at South Daytona police headquarters. </p><p> Lynch, who lives alone with two snakes and a small dog, was charged with possession of weapons by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of firearms without serial numbers. He was also charged with possession of marijuana and prescription pills that did not belong to him, Dietrich said. </p><p> The exterior of his residence is almost charming, the house painted a dark brown and set back on a large lot with several tall trees, a small doghouse, and garden decor. </p><p> But get up close and the letters “KKK” have been carved into the trunk of one of the trees. In addition, a racial epithet also has been carved into a corner of the wooden house's exterior. </p><p> Friday morning before the suspect was about to be taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, he told several members of the media: “I hate a lot of people.” </p><p> The statement did not surprise any of the investigators present. </p><p> “For senior veteran officers in South Daytona, Kevin Lynch is a household name,” said Interim Police Chief Ron Wright. </p><p> Wright and Dietrich recalled several instances when they tangled with Lynch. </p><p> “He shot at us once,” Dietrich said. </p><p> Wright also remembered the night Lynch shot himself in the mouth with a rifle and Wright labored to save his life by doing chest compressions. </p><p> “He's been quiet for a few years now,” Wright said Friday. </p><p> That wasn't always the case. Lynch has a slew of arrests on his record, including a 2002 felony conviction for resisting arrest with violence, court records show. </p><p> Initially Lynch had been charged with aggravated battery pertaining to a hate crime and battery on a law enforcement officer, as well as the resisting with violence violation. He agreed to plead no contest to resisting and the other charges were dropped, records show. </p><p> Dietrich said the task force had been looking at Lynch for the last six to eight months because of his membership in a white supremacist group. He declined to name the group, but said other individuals told investigators about Lynch's weapons stash. </p><p> “He (Lynch) has lived in South Daytona for 40 years but we learned 12 years ago of him being a white supremacist,” Dietrich said. "He belongs to the Klan, but he said the last time he went to a Klan meeting was 10 years ago.” </p><p> Lynch has a lengthy criminal history that includes arrests on charges of sexual battery, domestic battery, possession of a controlled substance, disorderly intoxication, driving with a revoked license, carrying a concealed weapon and being a public nuisance. </p><p> The charges leveled against Lynch on Friday are state charges, Dietrich said, but investigators will be asking for federal charges, but would not say what the charges would be. </p><p>Port Orange and federal officials are looking into the Feb. 23 shooting of a Port Orange Sikh as a hate crime. Investigators would not confirm whether Lynch would be questioned in the shooting of Kanwaljit Singh.</p><p></i>-- Staff Writer Patricio G. Balona contributed to this report.<i></p>